(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a route selection service control system, and more particularly, to a route selection service control system provided in a common communication network, to which are connected communication networks operated by a plurality of telecommunication carriers adopting different call charging systems, for selecting a specific route from among routes connecting an originating-side terminal to each of terminals owned by an identical subscriber and connected to respective communication networks operated by different carriers.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with rapid spread of mobile communications and an increasing number of telecommunication (network) carriers entering the market, more and more personal subscribers have come to own a plurality of terminals serviced by different carriers.
Conventional communication networks include, besides regular point-to-point communication networks, mobile communication networks which include those for PHS (Personal Handyphone System) and portable telephones. Not only the regular point-to-point communication networks but the mobile communication networks are operated by respective different telecommunication carriers and are connected to a common communication network so that terminals serviced by different carriers can be connected to each other via the common communication network.
If a personal subscriber, who owns a plurality of terminals connected to respective communication networks serviced by different carriers, for example, a regular fixed telephone and a PHS telephone, currently stays near the fixed telephone while taking the PHS terminal with him or her, a person who wishes to telephone this subscriber may make a connection request (call) to either the fixed telephone or the PHS telephone.
Meanwhile, telecommunication carriers adopt a diversity of charging systems for calls, including the settings of call distances and applicable time zones.
Accordingly, even if a call is made under the same conditions, the call is charged differently depending on which of terminating-side terminals an originating-side terminal is connected to, or in other words, depending on which of routes is selected.
It is, however, difficult hitherto to determine to which of a plurality of terminating-side terminals owned by a single person an originating-side terminal should be connected to establish a call at the least cost.
An object of the present invention is to provide a route selection service control system which permits an optimum route to be selected from among routes connecting an originating-side terminal to each of terminals owned by an identical subscriber and connected to respective communication networks serviced by different telecommunication carriers.
To achieve the above object, there is provided a route selection service control system provided in a common communication network to which are connected communication networks operated by a plurality of telecommunication carriers adopting different call charging systems, for selecting a specific route from among routes connecting an originating-side terminal to each of terminals owned by an identical subscriber and connected to respective communication networks operated by different carriers. The route selection service control system comprises terminal type storing means for storing an identification number of a subscriber and terminal types and terminal numbers of a plurality of terminals owned by the subscriber in a manner associated with one another, unit charge storing means for storing, with respect to each terminal type of originating side, unit charges applicable to different terminal types of terminating side and to different distances between terminals of originating and terminating sides, reading means for receiving an identification number of a terminating-side subscriber from an originating-side terminal, and reading out the terminal types and terminal numbers of a plurality of terminating-side terminals associated with the identification number of the subscriber by referring to the terminal type storing means, position information acquiring means which, if the terminating-side terminals read out by the reading means include a mobile communication terminal, makes an inquiry to a position information management section associated with the terminal to obtain a current position of the terminal, distance calculating means for calculating a distance between the current position of the terminating-side terminal obtained by the position information acquiring means and the position of the originating-side terminal, unit charge extracting means for referring to the unit charge storing means to extract, with respect to each of the terminating-side terminals, a unit charge applicable to the terminal type of originating side, to the terminal type of terminating side read out by the reading means, and to the distance calculated by the distance calculating means, and selecting/notifying means for selecting a terminating-side terminal which shows a minimum value among the unit charges extracted by the unit charge extracting means and associated with the respective terminating-side terminals, and notifying an originating-side communication network of the terminal number of the selected terminal.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention by way of example.